Looking for The Tortured Poets Department activity that you can use with your students? Friend, I have just the thing for you. My list of six The Tortured Poets Department activities that you can do with your class. First, teaching Taylor Swift as poetry is a great way to bring Miss Americana into your classroom. …

Ready to teach rhetorical analysis and need a list rhetorical strategies that will help your students? If you want your students to start analyzing a speech, having a list of rhetorical techniques makes it easier. Think of this as your rhetorical choices cheat sheet. Use this guide as a reference for you and your students. …

You know what I could never seem to find as a teacher: a poetry analysis project. It’s April. And we as ELA teachers are gearing up for our poetry units. But my students are so over the literary analysis essay. And, if they have to write one more analysis paragraph, they might revolt. So, I …

With her popularity only growing, every ELA teacher is looking for the best Taylor Swift lesson plan. And while we Swifties would be content just to jam out to her music. We should try to find a way to bring some standards into the mix. That’s why I created this Taylor Swift lesson plan to …

Searching for a stronger SPACE CAT example to help your students understand rhetorical analysis? Unlike other types of analysis, rhetorical analysis tends to trip up our students. However, with the right system, students can easily evaluate the intentions and choices of any writer or speaker. That’s where the SPACE CAT acronym comes in to help. …

Needing some help teaching how to write conclusion for rhetorical analysis? Do you feel like by the time you get to conclusions, you and your students are tired of writing? Maybe you just assume that students know how to wrap up their thoughts. Or maybe you don’t really know how to differentiate the different parts …

Does the thought of having to teach how to write rhetorical analysis introduction paragraphs make you cringe? Are you tired of reading the same rhetorical question at the beginning of all your students’ essays? You know the one… “Have you ever imagined that ______________________ (insert generic topic question)”. You know exactly what I mean. After …

Without a rhetorical analysis body paragraph outline my essays are a hot mess. As you know, students struggle so much with analysis in general. But for some reason, analyzing a speech just seems impossible. Thinking about the specific choices speakers make and why they make those choices is tough. That’s why breaking down the process …

ELA review games: my secret weapon for the post break blues. I know the struggle—coming back from a break, students feeling the lingering holiday joy, and the challenge of reigniting their focus. That were ELA review games save teh day. These aren’t your ordinary games; they’re my answer to turning the struggle of refocusing into …

As we are just days maybe hours away from winter break, we might want to plan for January and I have the answer: new year reflection questions for students. I know that you are exhausted. And, you just want to give into the cookie coma and sleep in for days. But, January you is going …

‘Tis the season of twinkling lights, cozy sweaters, and the sweet sound of a classroom book club. Yep, you heard me right. In the midst of the tinsel and glitter, let’s have our students have a chance to chat about books.  Student book clubs might not be the first thing that comes to mind when …

Ready to spice up your novel unit activities and banish the mundane? Say goodbye to the days of yawn-worthy comprehension questions because we’re about to dive into novel unit activities that make your students excited! I get it; finding activities that truly captivate your students can be as tricky as navigating a plot twist. But …

Are you tired of your current theme tracker graphic organizer? Maybe you are frustrated by your students forgetting to think about their theme as they read a novel. Friend, I was in the same spot as you for so long! My students struggled to find a theme and they didn’t think about that theme until …

As Halloween draws near, our classrooms are buzzing with excitement, and what better way to channel that energy than by diving into the eerie world of suspense with a Halloween lesson plan? Imagine a classroom filled with anticipation, where every word spoken and every page turned sends shivers down your students’ spines. Welcome to our …

Hey Taylor Swift teacher, have you been thriving with the “In My Reading Era” trend? I mean who better than to get our students to read than the queen herself: Taylor Swift? If you want to promote more independent reading time in your classroom, it all starts with capturing your students’ attention. That’s why creating …

Looking for a refresh on your English 10 short story unit? Still, trying to figure out where to start? Maybe the thought of a short story unit rewrite seems too daunting. Friend, I am here for you! I want to make your life easy. In this post, I will give you my English 10 short …

Thinking that your independent reading ideas need a rewrite? At the start of the school, now is a great time to start thinking about independent reading. If you have tried to have your students read on their own in the past, you know that it can be hard! There is lots of grumbling and so …

Do you have the back to school scaries and your brain is overloaded wondering how to get organized as a teacher? I know the moment I switch over from summer mode into teacher mode, my brain feels like the exploding emoji 🤯I take out my planner and start adding item after item on my to …

In this Taylor Swift classroom, we listen to Taylor’s Version!  Calling all Teacher Swifties. Are you obsessed with Taylor Swift? Are you looking for a refreshing way to start the year? Friend, I have the perfect thing for you: Taylor Swift themed first day stations. Coming off a summer of Taylor Swift playing full blast, …

Do not panic just because you have nothing ready for your first day class activities! Friend, we have all been there. We struggle to decide if we should just keep enjoying summer or dive into back to school mode. At some point, you are going to have to create that teacher plan. If you want …

Are you an ELA teacher looking to create dynamic and engaging learning experiences but not sure how to plan lessons for the year? You are in the right place, friend! In this step-by-step guide, I am going to share my secrets for planning curriculum. From setting your teacher goals for next year to incorporating interactive …